Perdeutero[70]fullerane, C70D38 and the hydrogenated analogous C70H38 have been synthesized using nascent deuterium or hydrogen generated by the action of DCl or HCl on Zn dust in toluene or benzene solvents. The FT-IR spectra of C70D38 and C70H38 have been studied. A better oxidation stability of C70D38 has been observed by FT-IR spectroscopy in

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We present high-speed optical photometry of the anomalous X-ray pulsar 1E1048.1-5937 obtained with ULTRACAM on the 8.2-m Very Large Telescope in 2007 June. We detect 1E1048.1-5937 at a magnitude of i' = 25.3 +/- 0.2, consistent with the values found by Wang et al. and hence confirming their conclusion that the source was approximately 1mag brighter

GX 339-4 is currently brightening at X-ray, UV, optical and radio frequencies (ATel #1945, #1954, #1960). Our monitoring campaign with the Faulkes Telescope South (ATel #1586) gives the following recent magnitudes (light curves are below; errors are ~ 0.02 mag): 2009-02-20 (MJD 54882.65): i' ~ 16.66 (and varying by ~ 0.2 mag in 10 minutes) 2009-02

We report a new outburst from the neutron star X-ray transient Aquila X-1. Optical monitoring with the Faulkes Telescopes North and South show a rise above quiescence by 0.4 mag in V and i' on 2009-03-07. The magnitudes on that date (MJD 54897.76) were V=18.82 +- 0.09; i'=17.32 +- 0.12. Three days before, on 2009-03-04 (MJD 54894.65) we had V=19.31